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File #: 17-371    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Staff Report Status: Parks and Recreation Staff Report
File created: 9/12/2017 In control: Committee of the Whole
On agenda: 9/18/2017 Final action:
Title: Mobile Food Vending in Public Spaces
Date Ver.Action ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsVideo
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REQUEST FOR DIRECTION

 

DATE:                       September 13, 2017                     Report No. P&R-17-008

TO:                       Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer

FROM:                      Scott Hartman, Director of Parks and Recreation Services

SUBJECT:

 

Title

Mobile Food Vending in Public Spaces

End

 

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

 

Does Council wish to pursue another process that allows mobile food vending to operate on Township Public Lands when they are not associated with an event?

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

Recommendation

That the Committee of the Whole receive Staff Report P&R-17-008 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council’s consideration.

 

Body

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Staff presented Council with information and sought Council input during the April 10th, 2017 Committee of the Whole meeting with respect to permitting mobile food vending in the Township’s public spaces. At this meeting Council discussed options and asked staff to explore opportunities for a pilot project for Gorge Park and Macaulay Point Park.

 

Staff created a pilot project based upon Council’s feedback and issued an Expression of Interest in June to solicit proposals. The Township received no responses.

 

 

ISSUES:

 

Staff have explored the requirements for mobile food vending and sought input from Council for future opportunities within the Township’s parklands, roads and boulevards.

 

An Expression of Interest was circulated to many mobile food vending businesses. The feedback received from prospective proponents indicated that the community events currently hosted within the Township created the guaranteed draw to ensure available customers. There was little interest expressed in additional mobile vending outside of the current community event format. This resulted in no submitted responses to the Township’s Expression of Interest.

 

Since then, the Township has recently received only one specific request to permit a bicycle street vending business to operate in random areas throughout the Township including park spaces. This specific request resulted from a pilot project implemented this summer by the City of Victoria. As a result, changes were made to their respective bylaws and permitting processes to permit this type of activity. If this is a preferred direction of Council, staff will need to pursue further policy work in this area as the Township’s bylaws and processes differ from those of other municipalities.

 

The Township is awaiting the results of the City of Victoria’s bicycle street vending pilot project. Results are expected in the first quarter of 2018.

 

ALTERNATIVES:

 

1.                     That the COTW receive Staff Report No. P&R-17-008 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council’s consideration.

 

2.                     That the COTW provide alternative direction to staff.

 

3.                     That the COTW request further information from staff.